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MA Working Families on Questions for Elected Officials about Fall School Reopening
QUESTIONS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND DESE
Lastly, each respondent had an open-ended opportunity to share what questions they would have for their elected officials about the school reopening plans. The responses were varied and personal and were grouped into 23 themed categories. The five most frequently reported question themes that respondents have for their elected officials, superintendents, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) are:
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1. How are you planning to support families financially, emotionally, with resources, etc.? (15.3%)
2. How are you planning for safety in our schools? (13.1%)
3. Can you mandate all schools to go online for the fall/until a vaccine is available? (10.2%)
4. Have you explored all alternative options to traditional classrooms? (9.5%)
5. How do you plan to support students with special needs or IEPs in their learning? (8.0%)
Additional Data
COMPLETE LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND DESE
How are you planning to support families?, 21 responses, 15.3%
How are you planning for safety in our schools?, 18 responses, 13.1%
Can you mandate all schools to go online until a vaccine is available?, 14 responses, 10.2%
Have you explored all alternative options to traditional classrooms?, 13 responses, 9.5%
How do you plan to support students with special needs or IEPs?, 11 responses, 8.0%
How are you planning to financially support our schools?, 10 responses, 7.3%
We should have a plan for our schools to reopen in September, 6 responses, 4.4%
How are you even considering in-person learning?, 6 responses, 4.4%
Can you issue consistent guidelines and strategies for schools statewide?, 5 responses, 3.6%
Decision-makers needs to be more transparent, 5 responses, 3.6%
Why haven't you prioritized getting our schools ready and safe?, 4 responses, 2.9%
What exactly IS the plan to reopen?, 4 responses, 2.9%
How will you ensure that children are learning as they should?, 4 responses, 2.9%
What is the plan for if/when someone in the school tests positive?, 3 responses, 2.2%
Will you continue to allow remote work and pandemic unemployment?, 3 responses, 2.2%
Are your decisions for the fall politically motivated?, 2 responses, 1.5%
Why do families have to fight for something that is already their right?, 2 responses, 1.5%
Why aren't essential workers receiving hazard pay?, 1 response, <1%
Have you considered the impacts of the fall plan on my child's mental health?, 1 response, <1%
Are you considering the voices and needs of the most impacted members of our communities?, 1 response, <1%
What can you do to improve COVID test processing times?, 1 response, <1%
Will you allow local communities to make their own decisions about reopening?, 1 response, <1%
Can you forgive all educator student loans?, 1 response, <1%
Lastly, each respondent had an open-ended opportunity to share what questions they would have for their elected officials about the school reopening plans. The responses were varied and personal and were grouped into 23 themed categories. The five most frequently reported question themes that respondents have for their elected officials, superintendents, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) are:
